The Hong Kong Police Force sent the Special Tactical Squad into Prince Edward MTR station on Saturday night (31 AUG), where many reporters and photographers were expelled during their reporting and filming without any reasonable explanation. The closing of the Prince Edward station barred any members of the press from entering the station for reporting, hence the lack of media monitoring on the police conduct inside the station.

Earlier in the evening, a number of reporters questioned the identity of an alleged police officer at Victoria Park, but none of them was given a response. A number of uniform officers immediately encircled about 10 journalists near a 5 meter by 2 meter planter near Victoria Park and cordoned them off. A female officer on-site explained that the police were conducting “special operations” and refused to let the reporters leave. The reporters were only allowed to leave after a number of alleged police officers had boarded a tourist bus and left, and the whole incident lasted for around 5 minutes.

The Hong Kong Journalists Association and the Hong Kong Press Photographers Association severely condemn the police’s serious infringement on the right to report and urge the police to provide a reasonable explanation for their action.